"Fuck," I groaned, rolling over in bed. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I picked it up to see half a dozen notifications from my family lighting up the screen. "Shit..."A sharp knock on the apartment door startled me. I checked the security camera on my phone—just the delivery guy. Groaning again, I shuffled to the living room to see what the guy wanted, only to find Constantine lounging on my sofa."What the hell are you doing here?" I yelled, glaring at him, mostly because he scared the living jeebies out of me and I almost let loose of my full bladder."Answer the door before you start yelling at me." His voice was calm, infuriatingly so. But I didn't miss a flash of a small quirk of his lips in amusement. I opened the door, coming face-to-face with the delivery man. "Delivery for April Danielle.""That's me." He handed me a form and I signed quickly and took the package, walking it to the kitchen and placing it on the counter. My phone beeped, and Evan’s name flashed on
After seven torturous hours in the air, the plane finally landed. The descent had been rough—turbulence shaking the cabin—and I was grateful to be back on solid ground. The sun was harsh against the runway as we stepped out, the afternoon heat wrapping around us like a heavy blanket. It was one o’clock, but the day felt never-ending.A sleek black car awaited us, the driver standing by with military-like precision. Constantine’s expression didn’t change as he slid into the backseat, leaving me to follow. As the car pulled away from the airport, I watched the city blur past, vibrant and full of life—a sharp contrast to the cold silence between us.The drive to the hotel was short, but every second felt stretched, heavy with the words we weren’t saying. When we arrived, the hotel loomed over us, a glass and steel tower that glittered under the sun. It was the kind of place that radiated wealth and power—just like Constantine.As we walked through the grand lobby, my footsteps echoed on
We ate in silence, but it wasn’t the tense kind. Instead, it was a quiet, comfortable lull, like we were both trying to figure out what this strange shift between us meant. The air wasn’t heavy—it was thoughtful, filled with unsaid things neither of us were ready to face."We should probably head back now," Constantine said, breaking the silence."Yeah, we should." I cleared my throat, forcing myself to sound casual. The waiter dropped the bill off, and Constantine handled it without a word.We both stood at the same time, an awkward sort of synchronization that made my heart skip. He gestured for me to walk first. I was surprised with how gentlemanly he was being now.As I made my way to the car, I glanced back and saw him lingering by the restaurant door, staring at his phone with a furrowed brow. “Let’s take a walk,” he called out, his voice cutting through the quiet street. I turned to him, a little taken aback.“You’re a strange man,” I said with a smile that felt too easy, too f
Constantine’s voice called after me, but I didn’t stop. My heart was pounding in my chest as I burst out into the cool night air. I couldn’t process everything happening inside me—the painting, the emotions, the vulnerability. It felt like too much. The streets of Paris, usually calming in their beauty, now felt overwhelming, closing in around me.I turned a corner, trying to put some distance between us, but I couldn’t escape the weight of his words, the way he looked at me, the painting he had gone through so much effort to bring here. Why did he care so much? What was I supposed to do with all of this? I felt my emotions spiraling, the night around me a blur.I ducked into an alleyway, resting my hands on the cool stone brick wall as I tried to catch my breath."April!" His voice was closer now, and I stiffened, my hands pressing into the brick. I didn’t turn around, too afraid to face him. Footsteps approached, stopping just a few paces behind me. I could feel him there, his presen
I was late. I hadn’t slept all night. I couldn't. My mind raced with the events of last night, every corner of my thoughts consumed by it. Every time I closed my eyes, I was pulled back into that dark alleyway with Constantine—a place where passion collided violently with danger. I had lost control, lost myself, and now, I couldn’t stop wondering... If Evan hadn't called, would Constantine and I have crossed an even darker line? One that couldn’t be undone. Evan had insisted on taking a cab to the airport. He said it was because I was exhausted, but it wasn’t exhaustion that kept me from being near him—it was the guilt. The guilt of that kiss. The guilt of how much I had wanted it, despite every logical part of my brain screaming at me to stop. As I pulled into Constantine’s driveway, I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. The air in the car was suffocating, but stepping out was even worse. How was I supposed to work with him now, knowing what had happene
Carlisle's left when Constantine said he would show me around. I wish he would have stayed because I didn't not want to be left alone with him. Constantine told me to wait in the kitchen, but sitting still felt impossible. My thoughts raced, colliding with each other as I scrolled aimlessly through my phone trying to calm down. A message from Evan stopped me: Landed in Los Angeles. Guilt knotted in my stomach, the words blurring as I read them again. I started to type a response, but my fingers hesitated. The heart emoji I added felt hollow, mocking the affection it was supposed to convey.Constantine reappeared, now dressed in a perfectly tailored navy blue suit that clung to him in all the right places. Immaculate, as always. Sharp. Dangerous. Evil bastard..."Come with me," he said, keeping up his casual front, though his eyes portrayed something darker.I followed him, my heart thudding in anticipation of what? I wasn't sure yet. I knew I would never kiss him again after last ni
Rain sat across from me, arms folded, barely touching her food. Her eyes darted everywhere but at me. Why did I do this to myself? It was torture. I had gone over to visit my parents because I missed them, and I felt terrible for all the excuses I had made to avoid seeing them. Dad was in the kitchen with his first love—as my mother would put it—the stove, humming a tune as he sautéed vegetables for the meal, while Mom casually sipped her wine at the dining room table, eagerly waiting for dinner to be served. They both sensed the unease. “So, how’s everything going with you girls?” Dad asked, setting the pan down and glancing between us. Rain let out a small huff, picking at her salad. “Oh, you know, everything’s great.” I could feel her frustration radiating off her. “It’s fine,” I said quickly, hoping to deflect. “Just... busy, that’s all.” But Rain wasn’t letting it go. “Busy avoiding me, you mean.” Mom raised an eyebrow. “April, is something going on between you two?”
The low thrum of bass pulsed through the underground club as Carlisle led me inside. I tried to appear casual, but I could feel the weight of eyes turning in our direction as we walked deeper into the club. Carlisle leaned down, his breath warm on my ear. “Relax,” he said, flashing me one of his charming, easy smiles. “Stick with me, and you’ll be fine.” I nodded, steadying my erratic breaths, but I couldn’t shake the nerves twisting in my gut. The air was thick with smoke and tension, and every face I saw screamed danger. Then, I saw him. Constantine was already seated at the table. His eyes flicked to me instantly, sharp and unreadable. The way he looked me up and down made the air feel electric. His hand tightened around the whiskey glass, his jaw clenched, and something flickered in his gaze—something volatile. We were still an ear shot away from the table. And I grabbed onto Carlilse arm, stopping him. "Wait, anything I should know before I join the game?" I asked.